# US 8,784,731 B2 · Foot/footwear sterilization system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,731 B2 - Document ID: US8784731B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/187,614 - Filed: 2014-02-24 - Published: 2014-06-19 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-20 - Assignees: Hepco Medical, LLC - Applicants: Hepco Medical, LLC - Inventors: Patricia Carol Gil; Asher Gil; Daniel Gil; Norman D. Knoth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784731B2 ## CPC - A01N 1/168: using electromagnetic fields or radiation; using acoustic waves or corpuscular radiation - A01N 59/00: Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing elements or inorganic compounds - A61L 2/10: Ultraviolet [UV] radiation - A61L 2/00: Disinfection or sterilisation of materials or objects, in general; Accessories therefor - A61L 9/18: Radiation (A61L9/22 takes precedence) - A61L 9/20: Ultraviolet radiation - A61L 2103/50: Textiles, e.g. bedwear or towels - A61L 2202/14: Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs - G05F 1/00: Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A foot/shoe sanitizing system includes a housing having at least one opening and at least one ultraviolet emitting device supported within the housing. The ultraviolet emitting devices direct ultraviolet light around and/or through the set of foot/shoe support bars towards the foot or shoe placed on the foot/shoe support bars. The ultraviolet emitting devices are controllably powered to emit ultraviolet light and/or ozone onto the foot/shoe. In a preferred embodiment, the ultraviolet emitting device emits light that includes short wavelength ultraviolet light, causing the formation of ozone in the area of the shoe, thereby killing pathogens that are not easily killed with ultraviolet light alone. The system includes a sheet of activated carbon for catalyzing the ozone into harmless concentrations of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A foot/shoe sanitizing system comprising: a housing having at least one opening; at least one ultraviolet emitting device supported within the housing, the at least one ultraviolet emitting device for directing ultraviolet light on a foot/shoe placed in the at least one opening; a source of power interfaced to each of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device, the source of power operatively powering each of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device, thereby the at least one ultraviolet emitting device emits ultraviolet light; means for detecting an identification of a user of the foot/shoe sanitizing system; and a carbon material located at the bottom of the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 1, wherein the carbon material is a sheet of activated carbon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 1, wherein the carbon material is a removable and replaceable sheet of activated carbon. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 1, wherein the carbon material is a removable and replaceable fibrous activated carbon mat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 1, wherein the carbon material is a fibrous activated carbon mat. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device emits ultraviolet light with a wavelength below 240 nm, thereby causing O2 molecules to split into two O1 atoms and some of the O1 atoms combining with other O2 molecules to form ozone (O3). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 6, wherein the carbon material is oxidized by the ozone, thereby converting the ozone into carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface operatively interfaced to the means for detecting and wherein an identification record is sent through the wireless interface to a remote system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 8, wherein the remote system provides access based upon verification of the identification record that was sent sent by the means for detecting. ### Claim 10 A method of killing pathogens on a shoe, the method comprising: providing a foot/shoe sanitizing system comprising: a housing having at least one opening; at least one ultraviolet emitting device supported within the housing, the at least one ultraviolet emitting device directing ultraviolet light on a foot/shoe placed in the at least one opening; a source of power interfaced to each of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device, the source of power operatively powering each of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device, thereby the at least one ultraviolet emitting device emits ultraviolet light; means for detecting an identification of a user of the foot/shoe sanitizing system; and a activated carbon material located at the bottom of the housing; placing the shoe into one of the at least one opening; obtaining an identification of the user from the means for detecting; emitting ultraviolet light from the at least one ultraviolet emitting device, the ultraviolet light radiating at least one of the pathogens on the shoe, the ultraviolet light forming breaking oxygen molecules into singlet oxygen (O1), some of the singlet oxygen combining with dioxygen (O2) forming ozone (O3); the ultraviolet light and the ozone killing at least one of the pathogens; removing the shoe from the at least one opening; and the ozone settling to the bottom of the housing and oxidizing the activated carbon material to form carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO2). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the activated carbon material is a sheet of activated carbon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the activated carbon material is a removable and replaceable sheet of activated carbon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the activated carbon material is a removable and replaceable fibrous activated carbon mat. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the activated carbon material is a fibrous activated carbon mat. ### Claim 15 A foot/shoe sanitizing device comprising: a housing having two openings, each of the openings sized to allow entry of a shoe; a processor, the processor located within the housing; at least one ultraviolet emitting device supported within the housing, the at least one ultraviolet emitting device for directing ultraviolet light onto shoes placed within the openings; a source of power, power to each of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device controlled by the processor, one or more shoe sensors, the shoe sensor(s) for detecting the presence of at least one of the shoes within one of the openings, the shoe sensor(s) are operatively coupled to the processor; and an activated carbon material within the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 15, wherein at least some of the ultraviolet light is at a wavelength below 240 nm which breaks oxygen molecules into singlet oxygen (O1), and some of the singlet oxygen combining with dioxygen (O2) forming ozone (O3), the ozone for destroying pathogens on the foot/shoe, the activated carbon material for oxidizing the ozone to form carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO2). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 15, wherein the activated carbon material is a sheet of activated carbon. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 15, wherein the activated carbon material is a removable and replaceable sheet of activated carbon. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 18, wherein the fibrous activated carbon mat is removable and replaceable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The foot/shoe sanitizing system of claim 15, wherein the activated carbon material is a fibrous activated carbon mat.